Ben Rhydding

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Ben Rhydding
Ben Rhydding hydropathic establishment - circa 1858.jpg
The Ben Rhydding Hydro circa 1858 – since demolished
West Yorkshire UK location map.svg
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Ben Rhydding
Location within West Yorkshire
OS grid reference SE13304763
Civil parish
  • Ilkley
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town IlKLEY
Postcode district LS29
Dialling code 01943
Police West Yorkshire
Fire West Yorkshire
Ambulance Yorkshire
UK Parliament
  • Keighley
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire
53°55′29″N1°47′56″W / 53.924697°N 1.798911°W / 53.924697; -1.798911

Ben Rhydding is a village in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the Ilkley urban area and civil parish.

Contents

The village is situated on a north-facing valley side beneath the Cow and Calf rocks and above and to the south of the River Wharfe. It was in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.

History

The village's former name was Wheatley. [1] In the 19th century it was noted for its hydropathic establishment, the Ben Rhydding Hydro, which opened on 29 March 1844 [2] at a cost of £30,000. [3] It was the third major hydropathic establishment in England, "perhaps the most deeply respected and certainly the longest-lived". [4] Ben Rhydding, the name given to the establishment, also given to the railway station built to serve it and by which the village subsequently became known, is allegedly the ancient name of the uplands above Wheatley. In a 1900 history of Upper Wharfedale, a footnote describes the circumstances, citing Collyer's History of Ilkley:

{{quote|Dr. Collyer writes that when Ben Rhydding was building, and the founders were casting about for a name, the matter came up in the "pint-pot parliament", which had sat at the Wheat Sheaf in Ilkley time out of mind. Mr. Hamer Stansfeld (the founder) wanted "a good an ancient name", and was particularly wishful to know what the upland was called in the old times on which Ben Rhydding is built. Nancy Wharton, our hostess, said she knew, and gave us the name Ben (not Bean) Rydding. It had passed out the common memory, but had survived by some good hap in Nancy's mind, and it was from this little seed the name sprang again which has become famous. [1]

Amenities

Suburban shopping parade on Bolling Road, Ben Rhydding Bolling Road, Ben Rhydding - geograph.org.uk - 1332362.jpg
Suburban shopping parade on Bolling Road, Ben Rhydding

Ben Rhydding is served by a railway station, public house, two petrol stations, two churches and local shops but relying on nearby Ilkley for shopping and civic facilities.

Ben Rhydding Hockey Club is located at Countances Way, with Men's and Women's teams competing in the England Hockey leagues.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Speight, Harry (1900). Upper Wharfedale. Being a complete account of the history, antiquities and scenery of the picturesque valley of the Wharfe, from Otley to Langstrothdale. London: Elliot Stock. p. 221. OCLC   7225949.
  2. Durie, Alastair J Water is best: the hydros and health tourism in Scotland 1840-1940 (John Donald, 2006) p.14
  3. Shifrin, Malcolm (3 October 2008). "Ilkley: Ben Rhydding Hydro". Victorian Turkish Baths: Their Origin, Development, and Gradual Decline. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
  4. Price, R. (1981), pp.273-74